Post by Chris Taylor on Jul 14, 2009 22:28:07 GMT -5
Hi, this is an article I wrote to give to Jason Hasert to see if he would want to use it next year in his magazine.
The Years of Power: A History of the John Deere 4000 Series
This year (2010) marks the 50th anniversary of the John Deere 4000 series tractors. Introduced in August 1960 at a dealer meeting in Dallas Texas with over 5,000 people in attendance. It took nearly 4 million dollars in retooling and 7 years of development to introduce what will be know as the "NEW GENERATION".
The new 4000 series line up consisted of the 4010 for that year. (the 1010, 2010, 3010 were also introduced that year and the addition of the 5010 in 1962) The 4010 was an 84 horse power tractor or a 4-5 bottom tractor. Meaning it could pull a 4-5 bottom plow. It had a 6 cylinder gasoline, diesel or LP gas engine. The 4010 was made until 1963 when the popular 4020 took its place.
The 4000 twenty series was introduced in 1963. The smallest of the series was the 4020 with a rated 95 horse power. It was the best selling tractor Deere had ever made. By 1966 the 4020 tractor accounted for %48 percent of the company's sales. The 4020 was accompanied with the 4520 and 4000 in 1969. the 4520 was Deere's first tractor with a turbo charged engine producing 123 horse power. The 4000 was a "no frills" version of the 4020. The following year two more models were announced. The 4320 and the 4620. The 4320 was often called the "super 4020". It was basically a 4020 with a turbo charged engine producing 115 horse power. The 4620 was Deere's first tractor with an inter cooled turbo charged engine. This tractor was rated at 135 horse power. In 1972, a whole new style of tractors where born.... The Sound Guards!
In late 1972, the ag world was in for yet another surprise. Deere released the Sound Guard style tractors with 4, 4000 series models in the line up. The smallest being the 4030. Powered by a Deere Diesel or gas 329ci engine. It produced 80 horse power and was available with the Sound Guard style cab, 4 post or 2 post ROPS (roll over protection system) and an open station platform. The next model, the 4230 had a 404 ci 100 horse power diesel or gas engine. The next 2 in the long green line for '72 were the 4430 and the 4630. The 4430 had a turbo 404 ci engine to pump out a rated 125 horse power and was to take the place of the 4020. The 4630 had a 404 ci turbo and inter cooled engine and produces 150 horse power.
The 40 series (nicknamed the Iron Horses) came out in 1978 with the 4040, 4240, 4440, 4640, and the 4840. The 4040 had a 77 horse power 404 engine in it. The 4240 had the 466 engine in it and turned 110 horse power. The 4440 was the best seller of the 40 series and had the popular 466 engine but was turbo, and was pumping out 130 horse power. The 4640 had the 466 in it also but was turbo and inter cooled to produce 156 horse power. The 4840 was the same as the 4640 but turned up to 181 horse power.
In 1982 John Deere released their 50 series. These new tractors had many improvements over the 40 series. They had more lights, better cabs, easier access to the fuel cap, caster action front wheels on their new FWA. (in the past HFWA was the only option) and the 15 speed power shift transmission. The smallest of the 4000 fifty series fleet was the 4050. It had a 466 engine and was 100 horse power. The 4250 had a 466 engine and was 120 horse power. The 4450 had a turbo 466 engine and produced 140 horse power. The two large frame tractors both had turbo and inter cooled 466 engines in them. The 4650 had 165 horse power and the 4850 had 200 horse power.
All new Fire Power came in 1989 when the 55 series was announced with 5 new models. They all had the same engine. a John Deere 466 diesel. The 4255 had 109 horse power while the 4255 was turned up to 125 horse power. The 4455's 466 was turbo and produced 141 horse power. The large frame tractors also had the 466 but they were inter cooled and turbo. The 4555 had 155 horse power, the 4755 had 175 horse power and the 4955 had 200 horse power.
As the 90s came things changed. Deere was making a leap towards a totally new numbering and design. The 6000 and 7000 tractors showed that in 1992. In 1991 Deere announced what would be the last 2wd sound guards and the last 4000 series tractors. The 60 series, labeled as "Fine Tuned Perfection". The 60 series were totally different. They had the corner exhaust, stair style steps, new lights, and redesigned air filters. There were only three models made. The 4560, 4760 and 4960. The 7000 series took the place of the small frame models. These new tractors all had the same 466 engine and horse power as the 55 series that they replaced. They where replaced by the Deere 8000 series in 1994
They were the last of a legacy.
*thanks Mitch for the title help! I appreciate it!
The Years of Power: A History of the John Deere 4000 Series
This year (2010) marks the 50th anniversary of the John Deere 4000 series tractors. Introduced in August 1960 at a dealer meeting in Dallas Texas with over 5,000 people in attendance. It took nearly 4 million dollars in retooling and 7 years of development to introduce what will be know as the "NEW GENERATION".
The new 4000 series line up consisted of the 4010 for that year. (the 1010, 2010, 3010 were also introduced that year and the addition of the 5010 in 1962) The 4010 was an 84 horse power tractor or a 4-5 bottom tractor. Meaning it could pull a 4-5 bottom plow. It had a 6 cylinder gasoline, diesel or LP gas engine. The 4010 was made until 1963 when the popular 4020 took its place.
The 4000 twenty series was introduced in 1963. The smallest of the series was the 4020 with a rated 95 horse power. It was the best selling tractor Deere had ever made. By 1966 the 4020 tractor accounted for %48 percent of the company's sales. The 4020 was accompanied with the 4520 and 4000 in 1969. the 4520 was Deere's first tractor with a turbo charged engine producing 123 horse power. The 4000 was a "no frills" version of the 4020. The following year two more models were announced. The 4320 and the 4620. The 4320 was often called the "super 4020". It was basically a 4020 with a turbo charged engine producing 115 horse power. The 4620 was Deere's first tractor with an inter cooled turbo charged engine. This tractor was rated at 135 horse power. In 1972, a whole new style of tractors where born.... The Sound Guards!
In late 1972, the ag world was in for yet another surprise. Deere released the Sound Guard style tractors with 4, 4000 series models in the line up. The smallest being the 4030. Powered by a Deere Diesel or gas 329ci engine. It produced 80 horse power and was available with the Sound Guard style cab, 4 post or 2 post ROPS (roll over protection system) and an open station platform. The next model, the 4230 had a 404 ci 100 horse power diesel or gas engine. The next 2 in the long green line for '72 were the 4430 and the 4630. The 4430 had a turbo 404 ci engine to pump out a rated 125 horse power and was to take the place of the 4020. The 4630 had a 404 ci turbo and inter cooled engine and produces 150 horse power.
The 40 series (nicknamed the Iron Horses) came out in 1978 with the 4040, 4240, 4440, 4640, and the 4840. The 4040 had a 77 horse power 404 engine in it. The 4240 had the 466 engine in it and turned 110 horse power. The 4440 was the best seller of the 40 series and had the popular 466 engine but was turbo, and was pumping out 130 horse power. The 4640 had the 466 in it also but was turbo and inter cooled to produce 156 horse power. The 4840 was the same as the 4640 but turned up to 181 horse power.
In 1982 John Deere released their 50 series. These new tractors had many improvements over the 40 series. They had more lights, better cabs, easier access to the fuel cap, caster action front wheels on their new FWA. (in the past HFWA was the only option) and the 15 speed power shift transmission. The smallest of the 4000 fifty series fleet was the 4050. It had a 466 engine and was 100 horse power. The 4250 had a 466 engine and was 120 horse power. The 4450 had a turbo 466 engine and produced 140 horse power. The two large frame tractors both had turbo and inter cooled 466 engines in them. The 4650 had 165 horse power and the 4850 had 200 horse power.
All new Fire Power came in 1989 when the 55 series was announced with 5 new models. They all had the same engine. a John Deere 466 diesel. The 4255 had 109 horse power while the 4255 was turned up to 125 horse power. The 4455's 466 was turbo and produced 141 horse power. The large frame tractors also had the 466 but they were inter cooled and turbo. The 4555 had 155 horse power, the 4755 had 175 horse power and the 4955 had 200 horse power.
As the 90s came things changed. Deere was making a leap towards a totally new numbering and design. The 6000 and 7000 tractors showed that in 1992. In 1991 Deere announced what would be the last 2wd sound guards and the last 4000 series tractors. The 60 series, labeled as "Fine Tuned Perfection". The 60 series were totally different. They had the corner exhaust, stair style steps, new lights, and redesigned air filters. There were only three models made. The 4560, 4760 and 4960. The 7000 series took the place of the small frame models. These new tractors all had the same 466 engine and horse power as the 55 series that they replaced. They where replaced by the Deere 8000 series in 1994
They were the last of a legacy.
*thanks Mitch for the title help! I appreciate it!
